Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Boy, were these cookies ever good!! Let me give you all a warning though, they are kinda complicated, and require quite a bit of work!!! Read through the whole recipe BEFORE you make them. They are worth it though!! They were soooo good (think girl scout thin mint cookies)!! And look real cute too!!


Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
submitted by Camille
(from My Kitchen Cafe)

Makes 6 dozen (um, not so much - I barely got 3 dozen out of the recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
2 pounds white chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used about 8 ounces white chocolate and the rest white almond bark, since that is what I had on hand - it worked great)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.

Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (Undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.)

Sift crushed candy, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave (don't overheat or the chocolate/almond bark will sieze!). Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, press lightly on the cookie until completely submerged in the chocolate. Pick up the cookie with the fork, let excess chocolate drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Repeat, sprinkling half the cookies with pieces and the rest with dust. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours.

Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken

Now, I know this says slow-cooker, and I LOVE my slow-cooker, but I wasn't able to get around to make this until about 4pm, so I just made it in a pot on the stove. It still turned out divine!!! This dish is sooooo yummy!! We all ate them up!! Yummy, yum!! I used them to serve in taco's, but you could still use this chicken for other things (sandwiches, salad, over rice, etc.). Hope you enjoy them as much a we did!! I know this is going to become a regular at our house!!


Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken
submitted by Camille
(from My Kitchen Cafe)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1/4 teaspoon)

Coat the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.) Serve in tacos or however your little heart desires.

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are simply DELICIOUS!!! I am not a big cookie fan (well, other then Oreo's!! LOL!!). I usually only like cookie dough! But, these cookies are seriously Y.U.M.M.Y. The recipe made about 4 dozen, and I know for a fact that I ate more then anyone else!! So, so good!!

White Chip Chocolate Cookies
submitted by Camille

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups (12oz) White Chocolate chips

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips. Drop by well-rounded teaspoonfull onto ungreased baking sheet. In 350 preheated oven, bake for 9-11 minutes, or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Cheese and Cracker Warm-up

This dip/appetizer is sooooo yummy!!! I am not joking!! Every time I make this, I always have tons of people asking for the recipe!! And what makes it even better, is how EASY it is to make!!!

You can dip anything from crackers, chips, veggies, etc. in it!! You can also change it up with different ingredients!! Enjoy!!

Cheese and Cracker Warm-up
submitted by Camille

8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup green onions, sliced
1/3 cup bacon bits

Mix cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, mayo, and green onions in a pie plate of ovenproof serving dish. Bake at 350 degree's for 15 minutes, stirring once during baking. After baking, sprinkle bacon bits on top. Serve warm with crackers, chips and/or veggies.

Favorite Hot Cocoa

This hot cocoa is very rich!! It so makes me want to sing the "Hot Chocolate" song from Polar Express whenever I drink it!!! Very yummy!! We also like to put some candy canes in it while it is still hot, and then you have a wonderful mint flavor in it!! Sooooo good!!!!

Favorite Hot Cocoa
submitted by Camille

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in saucepan; stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes. Sit in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL! Remove from heat; add vanilla.

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

I am not a huge banana pie person, but this is one is so yummy! I made this for Josh who LOVES banana cream pie, he totally loved it, too.
Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie
submitted by Michelle


6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
25 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups crumbs)
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate
2 large bananas, sliced
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-3/4 cups cold milk
1 cup thawed Whipped Topping



MELT 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) of the butter; place in medium bowl. Add wafer crumbs and sugar; mix well. Remove 2 Tbsp. of the crumb mixture; set aside for later use. Press remaining crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate; set aside.
MICROWAVE chocolate and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Drizzle evenly onto bottom of crust; top with bananas. Set aside.
PREPARE dry pudding mix with 1-3/4 cups cold milk as directed on package for pie; pour evenly over bananas. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Top with whipped topping just before serving; sprinkle with reserved 2 Tbsp. crumb mixture. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.